Smoke rises near Riyadh airport as air raid alerts sound in Saudi Arabia
Flames and smoke were seen near Riyadh's airport, disrupting flights, while fighting between Saudi-backed forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels has killed 48 people in recent hours.
Plumes of smoke and flames were spotted near Riyadh's airport on Saturday afternoon, prompting flight cancellations and delays. The sighting coincided with air raid alerts sounding across parts of Saudi Arabia.
Fighting intensifies
The disruption comes amid escalating fighting between Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, which has left 48 people dead in recent hours. Tensions have risen sharply this month after Houthi forces launched a rapid offensive, seizing large areas of territory inside Yemen.
Missile and drone barrage
As part of the broader offensive, the Houthis have also fired a barrage of missiles and drones toward Saudi Arabia. France 24's international affairs editor, Jamie Smith-Maillet, is providing ongoing details and analysis of the situation.
It remains unclear whether the smoke near the airport was directly linked to a missile or drone strike, but the incident occurred against a backdrop of active combat and heightened alert levels, pointing to a wider escalation of the conflict in the region.
